Desert Fury
by DieHardREBEL
Summary: BakuraxOC and MalikxOC FULL SUMMARY INSIDE! Together, Kepi and Mehnit are known all throughout Egypt as Desert Fury, and they're second only to Bakura and Malik, so naturally, they despise eachother despite the fact they've never even met. What happens wh
1. Battle of the Clans

**Summary: **Kepi and Mehnit are known as the Desert Phoenix and Desert Serpent, but together, they're called Desert Fury. They are second best only to Bakura and Malik, so naturally, they despiseeachother despite the fact they've never even met. What happens when the girls' father invites the notorious tomb robber and hisband of thievesto their village? Will all hell break loose, or will they be able to work something out?

**Things you should know: **This is currently rated Teen, although the rating may change for later chapters. I still have yet to decide. There WILL be swearing, but how much in each chapter will vary.Some chapters may also contain some minor violence. This chapter does.I have no clue when the next chapter will be put up because I also write fics on under the username manoke-chan, so if you want to check that out, you're welcome too. I currently have a Yami quiz, Malik quiz, and Bakura quiz allset in Ancient Egypt on that site. Also, please, no bashing. I accept constructive criticism. This is my story, so I'll write it how I see fit. That's all and please enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Yu-gi-oh or any of the yu-gi-oh characters. However, the OC characters ARE mine.

**Desert Fury**

**_Battle of the Clans_**

The cloaked figure's fiery, red eyes narrowed to thin slits as it stared off into the distance. Torrents of sand flew up just on the horizon, but this was no sand storm. Small black dots could be seen streaking towards the young woman, more widely known as the Desert Phoenix, who sat tall and proud on her steed.

"Who is it, Kepi?" the sound of her sister's voice on her right drew her attention.

"I believe it's another pack of thieves," Kepi replied without taking her eyes off the slowly growing figures.

"Thieves you say? What other group would dare to trespass on our territory?"

"I don't know, Mehnit, but we're going to find out. Men, draw your weapons! We've got some street rats on our hands that need to learn their place!" the young woman commanded her men with strict ferocity. No one defied their two leaders. Disobedience was a death wish.

Once all weapons had been unsheathed, the group charged. The two sister's lead the clan, galloping at full speed towards the opposers. Their horses' muscles rippling in the burning sun.

Ahead they could see the clique of rival thieves gaining speed. The sunlight reflected brightly off their scimitars. All sound seemed to mute until the clang of steel hitting steel rang clearly through the Egyptian air like a bell.

The clash of swords filled the sky. Kepi was on an onslaught, tearing through the enemy like a fish through water, not even breaking a sweat. She smirked inwardly.

"This is almost too easy."

"I wouldn't get too cocky if I were you," a deep, masculine voice sneered. Kepi managed to turn just in time to block the blow from a scimitar with her sais, which were sharpened to a fine point.

"Well, you're not me, now are you?" she snapped back while pushing her opponent away.

"Pretty small to be a thief, aren't you boy? Why don't you run back home to your mommy?"

"Why don't you stop trying to get me to retreat and fight me like a man, or is that too much of a challenge for a mouse like yourself?" Kepi snarled, lunging at him.

"Those are some tough words, but do you think you'd be saying such things if you knew who you were dealing with?" the man jeered arrogantly.

"Yes, and I'm pretty sure that if I did know who you were, it wouldn't make a damn difference. Now enough with the chitchat. No one steals on my turf!" Kepi swung again at his head, but he ducked and attempted to leg sweep her. She managed to leap out of the way and gripped one of the daggers on her belt. With pinpoint precision, Kepi chucked the blade at the cloaked man.

"Well, that's the end of him," she laughed until an arm snaked it's way around her and a dagger was placed at her throat; the same dagger she had previously thrown.

"I won't be killed so easily. I am the thief king after all," the man chuckled in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Neither will I!" Kepi growled. With as much force as she could muster, she elbowed him in the stomach. Bakura let out a small 'oof' and loosened his grip a little. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her to break free and elbow him in the face as well as where the sun don't shine.

A small groan escaped the thief king's lips as he keeled over, cupping his hand over his temporarily impaired privates. Kepi smirked down at his writhing form on the ground.

"You know, Bakura, you've been a big thorn in my side, but now it's time for the thief king's reign to come to an end and Desert Fury's to begin." Kepi's eyes gained an almost psychotic gleam as she lifted both her sais into the air, ready to plunge them into Bakura's heart.

Just before she struck, a movement to Kepi's left almost made her heart stop. The great Desert Serpent, Mehnit, lay pinned to the sandy desert floor by a man adorned in a deep purple cloak. His sword was raised, ready to take her life.

Without thinking, Kepi grabbed a second dagger from her belt. This time she would not fail. The man in the purple cloak yelped in pain as Kepi's dagger nestled itself in his shoulder. He moved off of Mehnit and pulled the dagger free, but by that time, Mehnit was already up and ready to fight again.

She turned to her sister to give a small nod of thanks when her eyes widened in horror. Kepi soon understood why as she felt Bakura's blade pierce her skin. She cried out in agony and fell to her knees as the scimitar was pushed through her stomach until it protruded from her back.

"It looks like I'll live to reign another day, boy," the thief king proclaimed, grinning as he twisted the blade and pulled it out, dripping with the Desert Phoenix's blood.

Kepi's vision blurred as she glared up at the thief king, her eyes full of malice. She could barely make out a few locks of white hair that had escaped his hood, a pair of dull purple orbs, and a grin that didn't reach his eyes. With the last of her strength, she managed to choke out one last phrase.

"Someday...someday, thief king, I, the Desert Phoenix, will find you, and when I do, I'll kill you. That's a promise."


	2. The Arrivals

**Things you should know: **Go to if you're interested in taking the other fics that I write. The disclaimer that I wrote in the first chapter will be the only disclaimer for this fic. In other words, that disclaimer was speaking for all the chapters. The beginning of this chapter is kind of slow because I'm going to explain more about the girls' family and their physical features etc. To my quizilla readers, no I will not stop writing my fics on quizilla, lol.

**Acknowledgements: **I was going to put this chapter up on the 29th by request of Bandit 14, but I can only use my laptop on the weekends (long story), and the 29th is a Wednesday, so sorry Bandit . Anyway, I'm putting it up now as an early b-day present to Bandit 14. Happy early b-day -. I also made this chapter like 3 times longer than the first, so I hope you like it :p. It's 7 pages long I think O.o I also want to thank everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter. This chapter is dedicated to all of you .

**Pertaining to the story:** No, Kepi did not die in the previous chapter as some of you have been lead to believe, lol. The fic will continue to be based in Ancient Egypt.

Kemet- means "Egypt" OR "the black lands" in Egyptian. Although, I'm using this as the name of the village of thieves where Kepi and Mehnit live.

Nafrini- means "she brings beauty" in Egyptian. This is the girls' mother.

Nsu- means "King of the South." This is the girls' father.

Kamenwati- "Dark Rebel" in Egyptian. This is the girls' 11 year old brother.

Itennu- "Vicar" in Egyptian. This is the girls' 9 year old brother. (What's a vicar? Could someone tell me in a review if they know?)

Kemnebi- "Dark panther". This is the girls' other 9 year old brother.

Mkhait- "Fight" in Egyptian. This is the girls' 11 year old younger sister.

Afrikaisi or Kaisi (for short)- "From the Egyptian hills." 7 year old younger sister of the girls'.

Kifi- means "bosom of a woman" in Egyptian (sorry, couldn't resist, lol). This is the name of one of the girls Kepi and Mehnit hate with a passion.

Ekibe- also means "bosom of a woman" in Egyptian. This is another girl Kepi and Mehnit hate.

**Desert Fury**

**The Arrivals**

Kepi awoke with a start, her eyes snapping open to reveal her crimson hues. Her blurred vision was slowly coming into focus just enough to make out the canopy of the bed which she was lying on. Her body felt as if it were on fire.

As she attempted to sit up, her muscles groaned in pain. With a small yelp, she clutched her abdomen to try and ease her aching. After the moment had passed, she scanned her surroundings. She was in her own room; in her own bed.

"Wha-but, how...?"

What had happened on the raid remained foggy, but she could remember most of it- attacking the opposing thieves, fighting bakura, almost finishing him off, saving Mehnit, getting stabbed. Kepi clenched her fists at this thought.

_'He will pay; I swear it.'_

But what had happened after she fainted, and was her sister all right? The anticipation was killing her. Finally taking the time to examine herself, Kepi found that the top half of her body was covered in only bloodied bandages, which started from the top of her chest and went all the way down her torso.

Again the image of Bakura's blade running her through painted itself on her mind's eye. She remembered the thief king's dull, purple orbs, which held no emotion, his white wisps of hair, and his mocking grin that seemed to laugh at her even now. The scar from the wound she'd received would forever be a constant reminder of her defeat.

"Kepi, thank Ra, you're awake!" Mehnit's voice cried from the doorway, a bucket in hand and dressing material in the other.

"Yeah, how long was I out?" Kepi questioned her sister while rubbing her temples as a dizzy spell momentarily over took her.

"Nearly three days. We thought you'd never wake up," Mehnit voiced her concern, dashing to Kepi's side, pushing her back down on the bed and placing a wet rag on her forhead as a handful of people followed her into the room.

"What are you doing? I'm fine!" Kepi vociferated, trying to get away from Mehnit's grasp.

"Stop being so stubborn! You are not fine! You've been skewered for Ra's sake!" the white-haired girl tried, in vain, to get her sister to lie down again.

"As if I didn't notice! Besides, that was three days ago! I don't need to be babied!" Kepi complained, managing to swing herself off the otherside of the bed and away from her sister's tyranny. Her gut exploded with pain, but she paid no heed.

"Kepi, Mehnit, please settle down. Your father has an announcement to make," the gentle voice of the girls' mother, Nafrini, interrupted their argument.

Both girls' facial features looked astonishingly like their mother's with their high, prominent cheek bones and full, lush lips. Kepi and Mehnit looked almost identical save for their hair and eyes, but that was to be expected considering they were twins.

Kepi had inherited her father's raven black hair, which fell crimped to the middle of her back and intense, red eyes that could put a flaming inferno to shame. Mehnit, on the other hand, took on her mother's lively, electric blue eyes and fair white hair, which she had let grow to the small of her back.

The girls' father had once been known as the greatest thief in all of Egypt when he was at the peak of his abilities and had met the girls' mother while on a raid. She had been a thief too, but not nearly as renowned. Together, they had founded Kemet, a fairly large hidden village of thieves, where they now reside.

Nsu and Nafrini, the girls' parents, are the village leaders, and once they pass, the girls will be left with the responsibility of looking after the village and their five younger siblings. Not including themselves, the girls had two sets of twin siblings. Kamenwati and Mkhait were eleven, Itennu and Kemnebi were nine, and Afrikaisi was the youngest at seven summers (7 yrs. old) and had no twin. Although Kepi loved all her brothers and sisters dearly, she secretly favored Kaisi.

"Yes, well, I've already announced this to the rest of the village, but you two still need to hear it, maybe most of all," Nsu directed to his two eldest daughters. "I have invited a group of thieves from the northern lands, and they will be staying with us for a time. You are to give them the utmost respect. Is that understood?"

"When will they be arriving?" Mehnit questioned thoughtfully.

"Tonight."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mehnit's stomach began to do flips as she tied the strings that held up her off white colored dress around her slender neck. The mystery guests were to arrive very shortly, and her nerves were beginning to kick in. Why though, she didn't know. When she had asked the identity of the visitors, her father had merely chuckled and said she'd soon find out, then told her and her sister to adorn themselves in their finest jewelry and linens.

Thoughts of these visitors nagged at Mehnit's mind. She frowned slightly. Who could be so important that her father would request her to wear her finest clothing and most expensive jewelry? She didn't particularly like dressing up and would prefer to wear her usual thieving attire. It was comfortable and easy to move in. The only negative was how little of her body it covered. Though, she supposed, nothing could ever be completely perfect.

She checked her self in the mirror one last time. Golden jewelry accentuated her copper skin, and her ankle length dress clung tightly to her slim, hourglass figure. Slits going up to her hips on both sides of the dress made mobility much easier and laces starting near her lower back tied the dress up to the bottom of the girl's shoulder blades. A serpent as blue as her eyes coiled around her dress to signify who she was- the Desert Serpent.

"Stop worrying so much," Kepi admonished from the door.

Mehnit turned to find her twin dressed in a similar attire to hers except for her dress was black as night, and she had bedecked herself with silver jewelry while a fiery, red phoenix decorated the front of her gown.

"I can't help it. Don't you ever get nervous?" Mehnit inquired as she took one last glance in the mirror then followed her sister out the door.

"No, not really," Kepi replied unconcernedly, heading towards the dining hall. "By the way, what happened after I fainted, you know, during the raid?"

Mehnit hesitated at this. She knew Kepi would be angered by her reply. The raven haired girl never backed down from a challenge and would never give up, regardless of the stakes. She always thought more rashly and reacted on whims while Mehnit thought things through, never taking action initiated by impulse. It was a common known fact throughtout the village of Kemet that Kepi was the better fighter and Mehnit the better thinker. She was usually the one that ended up making the majority of their raiding plans.

"Well, we...retreated," she answered cautiously, saying it slow and hesitantly.

Kepi stopped in her tracks and turned to face her twin. "You what?" she snarled, her features etched with pure fury.

"Well, what was I supposed to do? You were dying on the ground!" Mehnit riposted and continued walking, being closely pursued by her fuming sibling, though she was slightly hindered by her injuries.

"You should have fought! Now we've lost the respect of the enemy!"

"So you'd rather die for your reputation and pride rather than to back down and live to kick their arses another day?"

"Yes!"

"Ugh, you're incorrigible! You probably would have left me there to die if I were the one stabbed in the stomach, wouldn't you?" Mehnit vociferated, glowering in irritation.

"So, um, why do you think father invited this group of thieves?" Kepi queried, abruptly changing the subject.

Mehnit glared at her with a look that could kill but let it slide.

"Probably just to make a peace treaty or something stupid like that," the blue eyed girl huffed, thinking nothing of the matter.

"No, he could have just invited the leader if it were that. I think he's hoping one of these imbeciles will sweep us off our feet and ask for our hands. He's been completely obsessed with finding us suitors to settle down with and start a family," Kepi voiced in a matter-of-fact tone, scowling at the thought of even considering wedding to such lowly pieces of trash.

"Well, he's not as young as he once was, and I think he doesn't want us to stress ourselves out by having to take care of the village by ourselves after he passes," Mehnit contemplated thoughtfully.

"If he thinks we'll be miracously infatuated by one of idiots, I'm afraid he's sadly mistaken. You do remember the last suitors that came, don't you?"

"Of course, how could I forget?" kepi's twin smirked a devilish grin at the memory.

Both men had run away after a short two hours, screaming derogatory insults and refusing all aid the girls' parents had offered as they stormed from the village wet, bruised, utterly filthy, and cursing the girls to oblivion. The girls and their siblings, who had taken a large part in assisting their sisters, had all received some very harsh punishment for pulling such a stunt as that, but as long as they didn't have to marry those jackasses, they were happy.

Finally reaching their destination, the dining room, the two twins found the fated guests had apparently already arrived. The room was unusually quiet and packed with people both young and old. Most of the villagers were congregated together on one side of the room while a throng of cloaked men occupied the other, the hoods of their dark travelling cloaks were down to reveal their anxious or weary expressions.

For the main part, the denizens shied away from the retinues, but there were a few exceptions. Some of the teenaged village girls had taken it upon themselves to flirt shamelessly with the cloaked travellers. Two particular girls, Ekibe and Kifi, whom Mehnit and Kepi happened to despise, had a handful of men drooling over their very presence...literally.

Wearing see through tops that only covered their large bosoms and skirts so short that their butt cheeks were practically hanging out, they were, by far, wearing the skimpiest outfits in the room.

"I hope they get raped," Kepi muttered, all traces of a drop of remorse void from her icy intonation as she basked in the thought of causing Kifi and Ekibe a great deal of martyrdom.

"That's not very good natured of you," Mehnit scrutinized calmly.

"Oh, can it, it's less than what they deserve. Besides, you're thinking the same thing," Kepi scoffed indignantly. Before Mehnit had the chance to retort, their conversation was cut short by their father.

"Ah there you two are! I've been looking for you. There are some people I'd like you to meet," the girls' father chimed, striding over.

There were indeed two cloaked figures trailing behind him, one donning a blood red cloak while the other wore one of an ebony hue. Their faces were hidden by their hoods, but the girls could feel their gazes upon them, making them squirm under their unwavering watch.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bakura had just met the chief of Kemet, which was well concealed in the cliffs of a large valley. The leader, who's name he had learned to be Nsu, was currently directing them through an enormous cave engulfed in a darkness so thick that you could barely see your hand in front of your face. A gripping coldness slowly coiled it's way around the men with it's ensnaring claws as they tread deeper into the threshold.

As their host traversed through the cave effortlessly from years of travelling to and from kemet, Bakura's men clamored noisily along, tripping over unseen rocks and sudden drop offs. Nsu, Bakura observed, had hair which was graying with age, but he looked healthy and strong. This was, obviously, the result of the man's many years of thievery.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity blanketed in the obscurity, they came to a dead end. Two flaming torches about five feet apart on the wall casts dancing shadows across the cave floor. Without stopping, Nsu approached the torch on the right and grabbed it's wooden bracket. A brief quake shook the grotto as he turned it 90 degrees clockwise and pulled down.

A few pebbles fell from the stalactites, which garnished the cave's roof, but what caught the thief king's attention was the cave wall. It seemed to be moving; no, it was moving. Bakura stared in intrigue as the wall of the cave slid over, revealing a doorway between the two torches and a lit passageway beyond it.

_'Now this is getting interesting,'_ Bakura thought to himself amusedly, following Nsu down the hall.

Soon, the sound of voices and the sweet aroma of a feast reached Bakura's senses. As he and his thieves were lead into a room full of people, all went quiet. The music that had been playing stopped its harmonic concord and all eyes focused their divine attention on the newly arrived guests.

"Quite the welcoming committee," Malik stated from beside Bakura as Nsu began his announcement of their arrival to the people of Kemet.

"Now please, all I ask is for you to treat them as your own, and make them feel accepted in our humble abode." Once he had finished, the music resumed, but the buzz of conversation had droned down to low whispers as the citizens glanced with a mix of emotions at the newcomers.

"Bravo, very well put speech," Bakura drawled as Nsu turned back to face him.

He figured now would be as good a time as any to ask the question that had been nagging at the back of his mind like a vexed mother for the past three days. For an unknown reason, the thought of the boy who had claimed to be part of Desert Fury continuously invaded his mind. All he could remember seeing of him was the boy's alluring, crimson eyes which burned with contempt and loathing as he was stabbed ruthlessly through the stomach.

Those eyes, they were familiar. Bakura had seen them somewhere; he had seen them on Nsu. Yes, Nsu had the same stern, flaming red eyes, which held an air of superiority. Was this coincidence?...maybe.

Why did this boy bother him so much? Was it the fact he was so small and petite, or maybe his defiant attitude and seemingly unbreakable spirit. For such a weak looking frame, he had been an incredibly fierce fighter. His skills could surpass Malik's and even rival the thief king's own abilities.

In fact, if he hadn't been distracted by his comrade, he might have even been able to finish Bakura off.

_'Pah, that would never happen. I am the thief king after all. I won't be defeated by a mere boy swinging a pair of sticks and some twigs (ME: He's referring to kepi's sais and her daggers),'_ Bakura, satisfied by his resolve, returned to the real world, aching to voice his ailment.

"I was wondering, the Legendary Desert Fury is rumored to reside somewhere around these parts. Do you know where I can find them?" the thief king inquired, trying hard to drown out the anxiety in his tone.

"Haven't been here five minutes and already stirring up trouble, eh?" Nsu laughed, "but in answer to your question, they happen to live right here in this very village. They're around here somewhere, but before you do anything too drastic, I'd like you to meet my two eldest daughters. I'll bring you to Desert Fury if you'll see my family first."

Really having no other choice, Bakura grunted in agreement and left his men to do as they wished while he followed Nsu. Malik, being his second in command, trailed close behind. The village leader was approaching a door on the other side of the room where two young woman had just entered, both wearing slightly peeved expressions.

The two girls were obviously twins and held a certain captivating beauty that couldn't quite be described with words. Their long, flowing hair framed their solemn faces and gave them a slightly mysterious countenance. A foreboding aura seemed to radiate from their very being as if daring everyone who is anyone to defy them.

"Ah, there you two are! I've been looking for you. You look splendid. There are some acquaintances I'd like you to meet," Nsu chimed merrily, advancing towards, Bakura assumed, his daughters.

Both Malik's and Bakura's eyes roamed up and down the girls' bodies, drinking in their physical features, then finallly coming to a stop at their eyes. A smirk graced the tomb robbers' lips as they noticed them squirm uncomfortably under his and Malik's constant staring. Unlike most girls though, they did not look off to the side or down at their feet but stared defiantly right back.

_'Interesting...,'_ Bakura thought, intrigued by the girls' audacious natures. He had, again, run in to those intense red hues, which the raven haired girl had presumably inherited from her father. _'Red eyes seem to be quite common here, or maybe it's just me.'_

"Well, I'll just be leaving. Why don't you introduce yourselves?" the girls' father suggested before dashing off to only Ra knows where with a mischievous smirk dancing across his features.

A few moments passed with the four of them standing as still as stone, summing eachother up, determining whether or not they were trustworthy. Malik, being the more womanizing of the two men, made the first move and slipped off his black hood, revealing his mess of sandy blond hair while stepping towards the white haired woman. The girl's cheeks turned a faint tinge of pink as Malik took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles gently, never losing eye contact.

"Malik Ishtar, it's a pleasure to meet you miss..."

"M-mehnit," the girl stuttered, staring nervously at the hand which Malik continued to hold.

_'Well, I guess it's my turn now,'_ the thief king told himself, pulling off his hood with one hand, his spiky, white hair cascading to his shoulders. At this, the red eyed girl's jaw visibly dropped in apparent amazement. Thinking this a good thing, Bakura walked pompously towards her, only to stumble back seconds later, clutching his jaw.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What the bloody hell was that for?" Bakura snarled in a rage.

After snapping out of her shock of seeng the thief king standing right in front of her unalert and unprepared, Kepi had punched him square in the face with all that she had, sending him stumbling back. This action caused her to receive a number of confused looks as the whole room went silent to view the scene unfolding before their eyes, but she didn't care. The very man she had sworn to hunt down was right there, ready to be blown away by her fiery wrath.

_'Damn it, where's my weapons when I need them?'_ she growled mentally. _'Of course, why not get them?'_

Ignoring Bakura's snide insults, she grabbed Mehnit by the arm, turned on her heel and dashed out the door to her room. Once Kepi had arrived in her chambers, she quickly threw her twin a set of fighting clothes and told her to change into them while putting on a set of her own, disregarding the fleeting pains from her wounds.

The black top stopped just below her chest and zipped up the front with two straps stretching over her shoulders to hold it in place. A small, black choker adorned her neck while a pair of short shorts covered her bottom half. Two red belts crisscrossed to create an X on her hips and had slots where her daggers were held. A whip on each side of her hips hung from the loops on her belts, and red straps were tied tightly around her thighs to sheath her sais. Black, calf high boots with red ties completed her outfit. (Link to a pic of most of the outfit is on my homepage)

"What are you doing?" Mehnit inquired, utterly perplexed.

"That, my dear sister, was the bastard who stabbed me, and now is as good a time as any to kick his ass!" Kepi snarled, buckling on her two belts full of daggers and whips, then strapping her sais to her legs.

"That's him? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm damn sure! He-" she didn't have time to finish as a pounding on her door drew both girls' attention, and...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh, I'm sorry (not really), I left you hanging Oo. Well, the best you can do now is hope I'll update soon, lol. Well, I hope that was worth the two week wait. It took me a bloody long time to write, and I wrote it all in one day . Thanks again to those who rated the first chapter, and happy b-day Bandit 14! Keep a look out for the next chapter! I'll try to get it up ASAP -. Well, I'm off to have breakfast (it's currently 4:30 P.M. --).


	3. Payback's A Bitch

**Acknowledgements: **Thanks once again to everyone who's R&R so far. I hope you don't mind that it takes me like two weeks to update, but I've got a lot of stuff going on in my life at the moment. I've been helping my step dad with the move since my mom's not strong enough to carry anything, lol, and I work at festivals and celebrations for the 4th of July, so I'm always a bit busy around this time of year. I'm going to camp on July 17th (can't wait!), so I probably won't update for about three weeks after this.

**Pertaining to the story: **There's one part where Kepi says "'then you've just seen the tip of the iceberg'". I know they probably wouldn't use such a saying in Anciet Egypt, but I couldn't think of another quote with the same meaning, lol.

**Desert Fury**

**Payback's A Bitch**

"Yes, I'm damn sure! He-" she didn't have time to finish as a pounding on her door drew both girls' attention, and the voice of their father bellowed from the hall.

"Kepi, Mehnit, open this door NOW!" the village leader was fuming. He couldn't believe his daughters' hostility. Never had they treated such an important guest in a most disrespecful manner.

This was not going as Nsu had planned. He had hoped that he could unite the thieves of the North and South by way of marriage. If they despised eachother from the get go, it would be a hard task to sway the girls' one-tracked minds. He knew the Thief King and Desert Fury were bitter rivals, but maybe with some time, they could overcome their differences.

Beside the aging man stood the rest of his family as well as the Thief King and his accomplice, Malik. Bakura seemed to be seething, but the village leader couldn't quite blame him. A woman he didn't even know had just punched him square in the face for all to see. That must have put a major dent in his pride. The Thief king, no doubt, was a very proud man. Malik, on the other hand, looked thoughtful but stern. One would think he was almost bored with the whole ordeal at first glance.

"Girls, I'm warning you..." their father threatened in a dangerously calm voice.

He heard shuffling from beyond the door, and the click of the handle as Kepi swung it open to reveal herself in her thieving attire. Mehnit stood a little ways back still dressed in her finest garments, a slightly confused expression graced her features as she raised her eyebrows to give an inquisitive stare.

Kepi's eyes scanned the small crowd before her, lingering on the two manly figures beside her father. Her crimson hues flared, and she had to bite her lip to keep from snapping out a rude remark. Instead, she resorted to slamming the door in everyone's faces, or she tried at least. Before she had the chance to close the door all the way, a foot lodged itself between the door and it's frame.

Kepi stumbled back as the owner of the foot kicked the door the rest of the way open, almost hitting her in the process. She gave a heated glare, this time unable to control her actions.

"You stupid, conceited asshole!" the girl screeched, lunging at the Thief King and throwing a punch.

This time, however, Bakura was ready for her and easily caught her hand. He heard her emit a low growl and smirked at her obvious frusteration. With a jerking movement, he yanked her towards him and kneed her hard in the stomach, sending her flying to the floor at the feet of her twin. The raven haired girl let out a loud yelp and clutched her abdomen, cringing in intense pain.

Bakura frowned as she coughed up blood. Had he really hit her that hard? He hadn't meant to hurt her so badly. Oh well, this just proved his point. Girls were weak and powerless, only good for house work, repopulation, and bed warming. Besides, this bitch needed to be taught a lesson. No one hits the Thief King, especially a worthless woman.

Bakura grimaced at the thought. This girl had caught him off guard the first time, a foolish mistake which he would not repeat. Despite her gender, she had punched him pretty hard. Any harder and she might have broken his jaw. It still ached from the impact.

"You jackass, look what you did to her!" the voice of the silver haired girl brought the Thief King back from his thoughts.

"Well, if she hadn't attacked him, she wouldn't have gotten hurt," Malik retorted acidly.

The girl, Mehnit, was helping her sister off the ground. Her twin didn't seem to be doing too good. She was panting heavily, and her hand was beginning to become drenched with a thick, red substance from the injury. Now that definitely couldn't have been done by Bakura (ME: Or so he thinks shifty eyes). When the girl pulled her hand away, he noticed that, indeed, it hadn't. The blood was flowing from a stab wound, which Bakura hadn't noticed before. His kick must have reopened it.

"Hey, mister, you hurt my sister," a small voice scrutinized.

Bakura slowly let his dull purple eyes drop to find a small girl no older than 7 or 8 summers glaring up at him. She had ebony hair tied up in two pig tails, and cold, chilling blue eyes like that of her assumed sister, Mehnit. She was quite small and only came up to about Bakura's thigh, yet she showed no fear of the grown man before her.

"Oh, little girl, and what are you going to do about it?" the Thief King sneered, towering over the small girl pretentiously.

Glowering up at the man, Afrikaisi scrunched up her face and gave him the dirtiest look her relatively unintimidating features could muster. Without warning, she swung her leg up and kicked Bakura hard in the shin, gaining a satisfying cry of pain from the thief king. The girl beamed proudly with her accomplishment, but her jovial grin was soon wiped off her face as Bakura quickly recovered from her rather impotent assault and made a move to clutch her throat. With a shrill shriek, she rapidly retreated and ran in to her sister's protective embrace.

"Come back here, you little brat!" Bakura snarled, advancing towards the frightened girl being held in the raven haired girl's arms.

"You will not touch her," Kepi vociferated in a deadly voice, drawing out her sais, and pushing Kaisi towards Mehnit.

"And what exactly do you think you can do about it?" the thief king jeered, eying her weapons.

"I can kick your a-" Kepi was cut off as her father butt in.

"Enough! Kepi, Mehnit, behave yourselves, and you too Kaisi. Bakura, if you would please..." Nsu motioned for the young thief king to back off, which he reluctantly did but continued to stare daggers at the girls.

Mehnit sat down on the bed and pulled her little sister onto her lap. Kepi, however, would not back down. If looks could kill, Bakura would be long gone. The raven haired girl glared intently into the thief king's purple orbs. They held a look of malice and strong hatred. Kepi made a move to step towards him but was held back by her father.

Nsu gave his daughter a warning glance, clearly stating his meaning. After a moments silence, she finally averted her gaze and resheathed her weapons, taking a seat by her twin on the bed; although she kept her hand on one of her many daggers, eying the two intruding thieves with distrust.

"Now, what seems to be the problem here?" the village leader questioned authoratively.

"Are you blind? I. HATE. HIM," Kepi elucidated, accentuating the last three words.

"I can see that, but why did you punch him when he had done nothing to you at the time?" her father inquired.

"Has done nothing to me? He is the source of ALL my problems and ALL my pain!" the crimson eyed girl screeched, losing control of her ever rising temper. With clenched fists, she abruptly stood up from the bed, her eyes a flaming inferno. "You know I despise him, you know we're rivals, yet you invite him to our home? I can't believe you!" Kepi shrieked incredulously, now visibly shaking with rage.

"Kepi, don't talk to your father that way," her mother berated, making herself known in the argument.

"I'll do whatever I damn well please, so just leave me the hell alone!" the girl riposted, brushing past everyone and storming out the door before any one could stop her.

Kepi could hear the shouts of her parents beckoning her to come back, but she ignored them. She wanted to be alone right now; no, she needed to be alone right now. The young woman felt her legs beginning to tire, but she continued to sprint until she reached the outer field of the hideout and weaved through the trees to find her small thinking spot by a secret waterfall.

The village of Kemet was hidden inside the cliffs of a valley, but the outer field was on the side of the cliff, revealed to the outside world. It was high enough up on the cliff though that no one could see what was up there unless they scaled the walls of the valley (ME: I drew a vague pic of Kemet. It's on my homepage if you wanna see. Sorry, I'm not the best with drawing on computers.) The outer field consisted of a large plain where the villagers usually practiced their fighting skills, and it even had a river running through it, but there was also a small forest-like part, which took up about a third of the plain. Kepi had once found a waterfall in the forest and often came there to be alone or just to think. She liked the piece and solitude.

_'How could he? I fear these are not going to be pleasant upcoming weeks. How long are they staying anyway? Well, at least it gives me some time to get back at that bastard, Bakura. If father thinks I'm going to be a nice, sweet little girl like I should, then he's got another thing coming. No way in the seven realms of Osiris am I going to stand by and do nothing while Bakura freely roams around my village like he owns the damn place,'_ Kepi huffed angrily, punching a nearby tree. She winced in pain as the wound on her stomach burned in agony.

_'Damn that Bakura. My wound opened up again, and it's all his fault. Everything is his fault. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have any rivals. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be suffering such pain. If it weren't for him, I would be the greatest thief in Egypt!' _the crimson eyed girl growled in her mind and slammed her fist back into the tree, the bark falling away to reveal the tanned wood beneath it's surface.

Kepi's knuckles split open, her warm blood trickled down her hand and fell soundlessly to the ground. She noticed that her stab wound was still producing quite a bit of the crimson liquid also. If she didn't rebandage it soon, she would probably collapse from blood loss. Her head was already beginning to feel faint and dizzy.

"I thought you would be here. You should redress your injury," the voice of Mehnit admonished from behind.

"Yeah, I know," Kepi replied simply, turning to face her. Mehnit had changed into her thieving outfit as well.

"I'm assuming father is furious?"

Mehnit nodded her head in confirmation. "That little fit back there probably wasn't very smart on your part. He'll probably lecture us until our ears bleed," the silver haired girl sighed heavily.

Kepi just barely managed to get out a slight nod, swaying dangerously on her feet. Her head was spinning, and her vision was blurring. She couldn't take it anymore. The girl stumbled back but caught herself, holding on to the tree she had previously been punching for support. She could hardly hear her sister calling out her name. Her crimson hues slid back into her head, and her knees buckled beneath her as she fell into the dark.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The thief king lay comfortably on his bed in his new room. It was large and well furnished, decorated in a red and gold theme. The walls were a deep blood red, golden heiroglyphics hand painted onto it. His bed sheets were the same color as the walls and made of the finest silk. A huge bathroom was connected to his bed chambers and was made of all gold.

Before going to his room, Bakura had checked out Malik's as well. It was exactly the same except for the color scheme, which was black and silver. In general, the rooms were pretty nice. There was only one extremely negative aspect about them. The fact that they were directly across from the two girls' rooms did not exactly blow over very well with the young king of thieves.

Bakura had to admit he wasn't all too pleased when Nsu had shown him to his room, walking a mere five feet across the hall. That raven haired bitch was going to make his life a living hell while he was here, and having to sleep directly across from her, would make her dirty deeds that much easier to carry out.

Bakura was highly intrigued with this girl. Her steadfast determination and headstrong attitude was appealing. They were admirable traits for a woman, foolish as they may be. She neither felt intimidated nor feared Bakura's violent offenses. Most women the thief king had met, fled at the slightest dirty look. She was, however, the former thief king's daughter.

What had also caught Bakura's attention was the girl's choice of weapons and the words she had spoken. She had the same type of swords the man from Desert Fury had carried, and clearly stated that he, Bakura, was her rival. Rival in what though? Surely she was not a tomb robber, and even if she was, her skills couldn't possibly compare to that of the thief king's, could they?

_'Maybe she's one of the Desert Fury's woman? It's a good possibility because there's no way in hell a woman could be my greatest rival,'_ the young thief king concluded. _'Speaking of Desert Fury, Nsu never brought me to them. Oh well, I've got plenty of time. I might as well rest up until then.'_

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Malik stared up at the canvas of his bed deep in thought. This girl, Mehnit, she seemed familiar somehow, but he couldn't recall ever seeing her before in his life. Surely he would have remembered her if he had. The other girl, who's name he had yet to learn, seemed to know Bakura, but he apparently didn't know her either.

None of this made sense. It didn't add up. Malik racked his brain for answers but found none. Finally deciding to abandon this fruitless quest, he figured that they would have plenty of time to sort this all out before they left, whenever that would be. Exhausted from his long journey, he found himself quickly falling into a dreamless slumber, unaware as to what he would awake to.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kepi awoke to a light shaking of her shoulder. Groggily opening her eyes, she found herself staring up into the cold blue eyes of her sister.

"Are you feeling better?" Mehnit questioned, a look of concern crossing her face.

Kepi looked down to see her upper half bandaged once again, a small amount of blood bleeding through. The wound itself still stung quite a bit, but she was feeling considerably better and nodded to show this.

"That's good. Mother ordered us to wake the two idiots across the hall for breakfast, so we better get going," the blue eyed girl expounded, turning to complete her task.

"They're across the hall?" Kepi queried, disbelief evident in her voice.

"Unfortunately, yes."

Kepi muttered a line of incoherant curses under her breath but got out of bed none the less. After donning her thieving clothes and weapons, she followed her sister out the door and across the hall.

"I'll wake up Malik, you can get Bakura," Mehnit stated sourly before disappearing into the bed chambers of the blond haired thief.

_'Oh joy,'_ Kepi thought sarcastically, barging into Bakura's room, not bothering to be quiet.

She stopped in her tracks once she'd entered. The thief king was leaning his back against the head board, his eyes closed to the world around him. He had apparently fallen asleep in that position, for he was sitting on top of the silken bed sheets. Kepi blushed at his appearance. He wore nothing but his shenti, revealing a strong upper torso.

When she arrived at his side, she suddenly felt a strong urge to touch him. He looked so much more innocent and less menacing in this current state. His face no longer held signs of malice or scorn but an expression of peace and contentment. A vertical scar with two horizontal ones crossing through it rested under his right eye. Kepi hadn't noticed it before now and wondered how he had acquired them. They gave him a slightly rugged countenance, but this somehow only added to his handsome appearance.

_'Woah, back up. Handsome? Since when do I think such things of a man, and the thief king for Ra's sake?'_ she mentally slapped herself for thinking so crudely.

Abandoning all thoughts that had occupied her mind, she returned to the task at hand. In an attempt to awake the sleeping thief king, she roughly shook his shoulder. This antic proved pointless as he didn't even stir. After yelling in his ear, slapping him, pinching his nose and covering his mouth, she was finally on the verge of giving up this seemingly impossible feat until an idea came to her on a whim.

Chuckling evily, she retreated to the bathroom and returned a few moments later carrying a bucket filled to the brim with freezing water.

"Don't say I didn't try," she warned to no one particular as she dumped the bucket's contents onto Bakura's head.

A loud yell could be heard throughout the whole of Kemet as Bakura awoke with a start and scrambled off his bed. He was drenched to the bone and shivering from the cold as cool air blew over him. His eyes blazed as he caught sight of the culprit, bucket still in hand.

"You!" he snarled, glaring daggers at the smirking girl, "what the hell was that for?"

"You wouldn't wake up, you lazy ass, so I had to resort to drastic measures. Besides, you needed a bath anyway to get rid of that vile odor you emit," the raven haired girl explained, her smirk growing wider. "Breakfast is being served, so I suggest you hurry up."

Without another word, Kepi turned on her heel and walked out the door. She could feel Bakura boring holes into her back as she went. She distinctly heard the words kill and bitch as she stepped out into the hall. Just as she shut the door to his room, another strangled cry came from the bed chamber next door. Kepi grinned with amusement. She would have to ask Mehnit what she did to Malik at breakfast.

Starting off the day in high spirits, considering her situation, she made her way towards the dining hall, a new spring to her step. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kepi and Mehnit had some good laughs as they recounted their morning 'adventures' with eachother during breakfast. Mehnit had used similar strategies to awaken the slumbering Malik, and he had not taken kindly to it. Kepi failed, however, to mention the peculiar thoughts that had raided her mind when she had entered the thief king's domain. She decided that it would be best to keep such things to herself.

The thunk of a person taking a seat across from her brought the young Desert Phoenix out of her thoughts. Her gleeful mood quickly dropped as she noticed who it was.

"What, do you want?" Kepi spat venomously, her eyes narrowing at the white haired fiend before her. Beside him sat his parter-in-crime, Malik.

"What we want is to know what you two have against us. As far as I know, neither of us have seen either of you before yesterday," Bakura queried, obviously trying to contain his anger.

"Well, for one, you don't have to see someone to hate them. For two, you have seen us before, and for three, if you think what we're doing now is bad, then you've just seen the tip of the iceberg. Payback's a bitch, ain't it?" Kepi scoffed indignantly.

"Payback? Payback for what?" Malik questioned, thoroughly confused.

The crimson eyed girl's attention was now directed elsewhere though as she noticed her sister looking beyond the two tomb robbers before them. Following Mehnit's gaze, Kepi let out a low growl as she realized the identity of impending figures.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who are these mysterious figures, and what do they want? You'll have to find out in my next update -. Ta ta


End file.
